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A collection of 29 issues

Returning From Sabbatical

This is my first week back from sabbatical! After twelve full weeks away from the responsibilities of pastoring a church, I am back in my home office, triaging email, arranging meetings, and altogether getting settled back in. I've only had one other sabbatical, but—from conversations with other

Revival is already happening. It may disappoint you.

Having a great worship experience with fellow believers is a powerful thing. Being intoxicated with the presence of God (through music, preaching, prayer, and even dance) can be a life-altering experience. But it is not the same as revival.

Today was overwhelming

Today was overwhelming, both in ways good and bad. It started with a rich and thoughtful Learning Cohort where we grappled with the problem of pain, of being disappointed in God and unanswered prayer. It was resonant as we mourned another mass shooting targeting Asian Americans. And The Table Church

Grandma Henkler's Funeral

Death and funerals are a time when grief and gratitude mingle. Grief because of loss; gratitude because we recognize how deep that loss is. I want to begin by naming our gratitude. Mary Henkler, grandma to me and my siblings and cousins, mom, sister, aunt, friend to you, she lived

I Didn't Dupe You

I recently heard that a few folks at my former church in Iowa felt like I duped them. The claim is that for the ten years I pastored at Good News Community Church, I was an occasionally-provocative-but-mostly-biblically-faithful pastor and teacher. But then, when I moved to DC, my "true

Thoughts on Pride 2022

For the first time this June, The Table Church marched in Washington, DC's Pride Parade. My family and I marched alongside our LGBTQ church family and allies. It was an incredibly moving experience, and I want to tell you why. Homophobia and anti-LGBTQ discrimination has existed for centuries,

Two Years At The Table

I'm a day late on this, but it was 2 years ago on March 1 that I started my pastorate at The Table. The family and I snuck in to each service and watched a vibrant, thriving community of Christians worship, serve, and learn together. I very much

My prayers are directed to two things today.

First, towards the people of Ukraine. “I don’t understand, I decidedly do not understand, why men can’t live without war.” “You would think that humanity has forgotten the laws of its divine Savior, who preached love and the forgiveness of transgressions, and that it finds its greatest merit

Here's how I'm thinking about COVID right now.

TL;DR—Don't look at case rates. Look at hospitalization numbers. My personal risk—and likely yours—of serious illness, hospitalization, or death due to COVID is incredibly low. More and more, COVID is becoming something that I can "live with." I'm vaccinated, boosted,

Public Confession

Public confession. There’s a pastor acquaintance of mine who’s posting these 50 minute long Q and As. They’re great! The pastor is super smart, incredibly articulate, funny. But when I see them I’m struck with petty envy. Part of it is platform envy. Like, I want